‘His infectious smile could light up a room’

Gaynor Clarke

Hundreds of people have paid tribute to a talented musician, who died suddenly on New Year’s Day at the age of 30.

He was a guitarist and singer with band Failsafe, which had their music played on Radio 1, toured the USA and featured in an episode of hit UK comedy The Inbetweeners.

He was also a solo artist and worked with teenagers at Chorley Community Centre. Many friends have written tributes on his Facebook page.

His brother, Martin, 31, said: “Myself and my family are absolutely overwhelmed with the tributes posted online and privately to us which show how much he meant to people who met him.

“A constant theme keeps coming up about Matthew’s infectious smile and how he could light up a room.

“We are so, so sad that we will never be able to spend time with him again but can find some comfort in the hundreds of tributes posted about him along with the truly outstanding music he left behind.”

Martin is putting videos and music by Matthew online as a tribute at www.matthewjamescogley.com.

Matthew grew up in Chorley and attended Sacred Heart Primary School and Holy Cross High School.

He performed in plays and sang in the school choir.

He later became involved in punk bands, playing the cornet and then the guitar.

Matthew was first in a ska/punk band called Let’s Not Lose Mars To The Commies, before playing in the band Duckhunt, which became Failsafe.

The band did two Maida Vale sessions for the BBC, toured Europe and the USA, and performed at the South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Texas.

They appeared in an episode of The Inbetweeners, where the characters went to watch Failsafe.

Matthew continued to play with Failsafe, performing at the Top Lock in Wheelton in December.

He also made a solo record and performed alone, including at Chorley Live and at the Rose And Crown just days before Christmas. Matthew did an apprenticeship in joinery with Preston City Council and worked as a joiner with a family firm.

He was a Chorley FC fan and he played rugby league for Chorley Panthers, before signing for Wigan St Pat’s.

Matthew also enjoyed travelling and was particularly fond of New York.

He performed at a wedding in Northern Ireland in late December.

Matthew and friends extended their stay and were in Northern Ireland when he died early on New Year’s Day.